How to block unwanted ads on your Android phone or tablet
Ads are one of the ways to keep some websites and app developers afloat. They keep costs down and enable free content. Some of your favorite fan sites are likely ad-driven. But sometimes, too many can impair the end-user experience, making it challenging to consume content. In addition, ads can make even thebest Android phonesslower and be a driving reason forunwanted battery drain. Thankfully, there are ways you can either remove or limit ads on your Android handset or tablet. Read on to learn how to stop ads from running amok on your devices.
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Google Chrome: Block ads, pop-ups, and redirects
Google Chrome has a built-in pop-up and ad blocker to deactivate intrusive or misleading ads. Follow the steps below to activate them on your phone.
If you want to remove ads during web browsing, use a third-party web browser on Android. Chrome doesn’t support an ad-blocker extension on mobile.Samsung Internetand Firefox are two popular Chrome alternatives that offer ad-blocker extensions on Android.
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Samsung Internet offers a built-in extension store to download ad blockers. Brave is another ad-blocker browser on Android that offers an ad-free browsing experience.
Check Google Chrome site notifications
Allowing every website to send real-time notifications to your Android phone or tablet is not a good idea. Apart from sending useful alerts, some websites may spam your device’s notification center with irrelevant partner content.
Here’s how to turn off notifications for unnecessary websites:
If you’re keen on privacy and don’t want Chrome to track your browsing history to offer personalized ads, turn off targeted ad tracking on Google Chrome. Keep in mind that Chrome may see an overhaul with ad tracking ifGoogle has to sell Chrome.
Block disruptive notifications in Google Chrome
Block ads on the home screen
Ads on the home screen are worse than ads in a web browser or notification center. These full banner ads appear over any app on your phone or tablet. Android allows app developers to ask forAppear on toppermission to function normally.
Apps like Facebook Messenger and Truecaller require such permissions to show bubble chat heads and identify incoming callers. However, some sketchy apps try to trick you into allowing permission and keep sending ads on the home screen. When you receive such ads, look for the app name that sent them on the home screen. After identifying those apps, follow the steps below to turn off the permission.
If you no longer need the app, uninstall it from the same app info menu.
Deactivate wallpaper services on the lock screen
To improve your device’s lock screen experience, wallpaper services like Glance show app recommendations, news, and partner content on the lock screen. It’s available on low-end and mid-range devices from Samsung and Xiaomi. Go through the steps below to turn off wallpaper services on your Android tablet or phone.
We use a Samsung Galaxy A25 running One UI 6.1 in the screenshots below.
Block ads with a DNS service
A DNS service is one of the easiest ways to block ads on most websites. AdGuard offers two free ad-blocking DNS addresses. One is family-oriented and blocks websites with adult content,family.adguard-dns.com. The other only blocks ads,dns.adguard-dns.com.
When using a DNS service, most websites work as usual but could load slower. The places where advertising typically appears show a blank area, meaning you’ll scroll past this space to see more content. Some pop-up ads might be visible, depending on the website. Also, some websites might not work when using a DNS-based ad blocker.
To set up DNS ad blocking with AdGuard, follow the steps below:
Not all ads are malicious
Advertising serves a purpose and can help you as much as it helps advertisers. An ad can inform you of a sale on a game you’re interested in or introduce a new restaurant that serves your favorite food. Android Police will keep you updated on the latest Android phones, thebest Android tablets, andmost useful Android apps, but there’s more to life than mobile devices and apps. Good s can alert you to incredible products and services you haven’t considered.
Ads also make many services free. Imagine paying to read news, use Google Search, or keep up with friends on social media. If we all block every type of advertising, these free, ad-supported services will be forced to charge a subscription fee.
Purchase premium app subscriptions
Developers rely on ads to support app development. Some app developers offer a one-time purchase, while others provide monthly or yearly subscriptions to remove ads and unlock new features. For instance, you’ll get unskippable ads on streaming platforms like YouTube and Spotify until you purchase the premium subscription.
What about Android tablets?
Since your kids frequently stream videos and play games on a large screen, be careful when dealing with ads on an Android tablet. A simple misstep may affect your tablet with bogus files and unnecessary app installations. Although we use screenshots from an Android phone throughout this post, you can follow the same steps to block ads on your Android tablet.
Be careful with app installation
It’s best not to fill your Android phone or tablet with unnecessary flashlight apps, third-party app launchers, or apps with one-star or two-star ratings. Your Android devicedoesn’t require an antivirus app, either. Before installing an app, read the app reviews. If others complain about the number of ads, stay away from those apps or look for better alternatives.
Google offers Google Play Protect. It stops malicious apps from appearing on the Play Store. The company doesn’t have control over ads appearing in other apps.
You can also root your Android phone and install a system-wide ad blocker to block ads. Be careful while rooting your phone. A misstep during the process may leave you with a bricked device and void the manufacturer’s warranty.
Eliminate ads on your Android phone
Dealing with intrusive ads from abusive websites and apps might tempt you toswitch from Android to iOS. Still, Apple devices are not immune to this problem. Before settling for a below-average experience, use the tricks above toblock the websitesand apps that caused the problem.
We want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the thread below and remember to keep it respectful.
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“Ads also make many services free. Imagine paying to read news, use Google Search, or keep up with friends on social media. If we all block every type of advertising, these free, ad-supported services will be forced to charge a subscription fee.”
I understand that the ads support the Devs but I feel placement would benefit everyone. People with big fingers tend to click links unintentionally. I’ve been a fan of old school advertising where you may see ads on the side of an article or even in the header.
I use dns to block ads especially on sites like this cos the ads are just too much. Pop-up ads, video ads and even the ones that do redirect. They make your site look dirty
Of course, I block all ads. That’s the reason I root my phone, just to use AdAway as a system-wide adblocker.
From time to time, I deactivate AdAway to see how much advertisers have learned. The answer is the same as it has been sinde tha past two decades: Nothing.
Ads are still intrusive, annoying, distracting and a general nuisance. Pop ups, moving and fidgets things, ads that interrupt the text – nothing has changed.
So, the adblocker stays on.
I didn’t want to get “registered” and I’m not interested in apologetic rethoric as to why “ads are not bad” (as if, like others commented, out of the hundreds of thousands of ads they will find exactly what I want because sites care for my user experience and not because somebody paid them to promote their stuff) or other ways to get people to accept that they either pay and get less ads or get intrusive ads that are badly placed, repetitive and downright annoying… As if that way I’m going to check it out and not wish in my mind the creator to step on legos and their pet to be stolen.
Cool article, but once again, not what I was looking for… I want a way out of this ad hell that I never asked for. Sorry for the rant. I originally wanted to upvote a comment and to “continue with Google” but I gotta be tracked everywhere because statistics and stuff…
I just sideloaded AdGuard onto both my Pixel smartphone and OnePlus tablet, and purchased a lifetime subscription. Problem solved.
I’m having serious issues with to many ads
Blocking ads uses less power and less internet traffic.
So blocking ads is good for the environment.
Hi I’m John
How to blocking ads
Plz help me how to blocking ads
Eliminate ads on your Android phone place help poblem All activ ageing my phone
whenever possible, I will install shortcuts to webpages instead of installing apps to stop a lot of ads. I will use firefox android version with uBlock addon installed.
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